Unsuitable

He shifted on the rug to put a little more distance between him and Carrie. Junna put Toby’s hat back on. He took it off with a sly look, hoping she wouldn’t notice. She put it on again. “Leave it on, you’ll get sunburnt.”

Toby said, “I’m telling Mum you were mean to me.” He flicked sand at Junna with the tip of his spade.

Junna folded her arms and glared at him. “See where it gets you, bruiser.”

“Reece is mean to me all the time.” Mia giggled. “Morning, doona, night.”

There was laughter. A month or so ago maybe there would’ve been an awkward silence, a sly call to Audrey to check in. Now there wasn’t an adult here who didn’t know this was your average lying three year old in action.

“Noon.”

A comedian on a good thing, Mia looked him in the eye and repeated, “Morning, doona, night,” then beamed at them all from under her hat. She was slathered in sunblock and wore her fairy dress over a sunsuit. There wasn’t much life left in that fairy dress and that was going to be a problem.

Junna reached down and gave the brim of Mia’s hat a tug. “My kid’s a bad influence on yours.”

The hole Toby and Mia had made was big enough for one of them to get into now, but not big enough to contain all the annoyance Reece felt building in his chest, despite the comic interruption.

“Thought Audrey was insane when she hired you,” said Carrie. “Asking for trouble.” Reece took a breath, took a large swallow of the cooled coffee and tried not to react. “I have a friend who is a cop, works child protection. She sees all the nastiest stuff. She thought Audrey was crazy too.”

“Fu—” He had to bite back the swear word and pitch his voice low. “Far out.” This was worse than incompetent, out of place. “You thought I was some child molesting paedophile. You thought Audrey would do that.” He put a hand down to lever himself off the sand. This was it for playgroup. He’d stuck with it because Mia loved it, because he’d gotten used to it too, because Audrey didn’t insist, but he knew she thought it was good for Mia, but he was done being their poster boy for different.

Carrie put her hand on his shoulder. “I was worried. I’m not now. I had it wrong. I’m trying to apologise, Reece.”

He sipped his coffee and didn’t respond, but he didn’t leave the blanket either. Toby got in the hole and pushed at the sand with his legs to make more space.

“I also tried to hit on you and I shouldn’t have done that either.”

Junna adjusted the brim of her own hat. “I’d have hit on you too, but Carrie has game.”

“And you’re right, Audrey is entitled to have what the men get at work. That’s all I was trying to do. I know my husband has affairs.” She shrugged. “What’s good for the goose. But you’re not my gander, Reece, and I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable. Story of my life. Women generally hate me and I make nice men anxious because I like sex and I don’t think it all has to happen inside a marriage.”

Reece looked at Carrie though the tinted lenses of his sunnies. She was a sexy woman, slim, blonde, botoxed. Older than Audrey. The tits weren’t real, but they were impressive. “You have an open marriage?”

She laughed. “Open to interpretation. Graham is much older than me, but he dallies with his assistants. He was single a long time before we married and that’s what he always did. I knew he wouldn’t change. I have a great life. I waited a long time to find it. I have everything I could want and he loves me. We work. I forgive his trespasses and he doesn’t need to know about mine.”

“Let’s hear it for double standard.” Junna laughed.

“Not really. He knows I’m not entirely faithful. He doesn’t want the details and neither do I. You’re wrong if you think it’s unusual.”

“Go faster, Mia,” said Toby.

“I’m almost sure Tim Sinclair had an affair. I think it’s why the move to London is on.” Junna shook herself. “I couldn’t do it. I want the one.” She flicked sand at Reece. “Is Sky your one?”

Mia was burying Toby now, like Reece wanted to bury the conversation. “I’m going to find out where the others are, what’s taking so long with lunch.”

“Chicken.” Junna mouthed the shit on the end.

Mia looked up. “Can I have a chicken sandwich?”

“Can I have a chickenshit sandwich,” said Toby.

Junna clasped her hands over her

mouth and mumbled to herself. Mia looked at Toby confused, looked at Reece. He hoped she didn’t add that word to her fast growing vocab.

“Maria and Janine are bringing lunch.” He scooted forward and made a sand pillow for Toby’s head to rest on. “Arms in or out?” Toby put his arms by his side. “You won’t be able to scratch your nose. If a fly lands on you, you won’t be able to wave it away.” Toby might as well learn about not getting everything he wanted, when he wanted it, right now.

Toby reached up and pulled sand in on himself. “I don’t care.”